Enjoy the warmer weather with sandals that are both cute and comfortable. Check this list for the best stylish barefoot sandals for women.
When it comes to sandals, I want to wear all the cute, colorful and strappy styles, but I don’t want to compromise on the comfort. Fashion and function should not be mutually exclusive! While many conventional brands come so close to creating sandals that are good for your feet, they often including little heels or a toe box that’s just a little too narrow. Find your next perfect pair of sandals here, with my top 10 list of the best stylish barefoot sandals for women.
Table of Contents
I. Criteria for Barefoot Sandals
II. Tips on Picking the Best Fit
III. 10 Stylish Barefoot Sandals for Women
- BeLenka
- Feelgrounds
- Vivobarefoot Opanka
- Softstar Camino
- Earth Runners
- Shapen Sandals
- Luna Sandals
- Zeazoo
- Nikola Sandals
- Laboo Leather
Criteria for barefoot sandals
First, here’s a quick list of things I’m not into when it comes to sandals: heels (even little ones), backless sandals that don’t fit securely, a “break-in” period, tons of structure or support.
And here is what I am looking for when it comes to a healthy, comfortable barefoot sandals:
1 Thin, Flexible Soles – Since the goal of barefoot shoes is to allow for natural movement, the soles should be thin and flexible enough to allow for it. In the case of sandals, I find that there needs to be a balance of just how flexible the soles are so that the front doesn’t catch and bend to create a tripping hazard. This is why sometimes I prefer my sandals to be slightly stiffer than what I’d opt for with barefoot sneakers.
2 Naturally-shaped Toe Box – Sandals should have a wide toe box to allow for natural toe splay. Many barefoot sandals feature between the toe straps, so there won’t be anything that’s constricting the toes together. For sandals that do have over-the-toe straps, make sure they’re wide enough for your feet.
3 Zero-drop Platform – Almost every conventional sandal in my closet before had at least a little heel. This may not seem like a big deal, but even a few millimeters can affect our posture and movement. Barefoot sandals are completely flat from heel-to-toe.
Tips on picking the best fit for barefoot sandals
Fit and sizing for both barefoot shoes and sandals can be tricky when you’re ordering online, but I promise that as you get a little bit more familiar with your own feet and with some of the barefoot shoe brands, it does get easier.
You’ll want to start with measuring your own feet (both length and width), Next, gain an understanding of your foot shape and volume. Sandals with adjustable straps can often accommodate a range of widths and volumes, but may still tend to be better suited to a certain type of foot.
Sizing reference
I’ll note my sizing as a reference for each sandal style. My feet are medium width and measure 23.3cm long with a high instep. I typically look for sneakers with extra 1.2cm of space, and sandals around 1cm of extra space.
I’m most often a US7.5/EU38 in my barefoot shoes, but often times size down to a US7/EU37 in barefoot sandals. This can vary from brand to brand and sometimes even style to style. Sandals usually don’t need as much space as you don’t have to worry about a toe hitting the front of the shoe, and the toes can go to almost the end of the sole.
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This post is about cute and stylish barefoot sandals for women that can be worn every day. If you want sandals with more rugged tread that will have you prepared for any adventure, check out this post for barefoot walking and hiking sandals. Or, if you want something a little more dressed up, check this list for dressy barefoot sandals.
10 Best Stylish Barefoot Sandals for Women
After trying dozens of sandals, I’ve rounded up the best options based on the barefoot criteria I’ve listed above, comfort, fit and quality. These are the brands I reach for again and again.
1 BeLenka Sandals
Price: From $99 | Code: KELLY5 for 5% off | Sizes: EU36 to EU43
Stack height: 4mm outsole | Materials: Leather
Best For: narrow to medium width, low to average volume
Discount Code: KELLY5
What I love:
- Large selection of sandal styles and colors
- High-quality materials
What I don’t:
- Only one sole thickness option
- Over-the-toe options don’t fit extra wide feet
BeLenka is a great place to start for a stylish barefoot sandals. They have a lot of cute designs with a thin, flexible sole and leather straps. All of the sandal straps are adjustable in some way too, either with buckles or velcro.
My most worn BeLenka sandals are the Promenade, a thong-style sandal that can fit a lot of different shaped feet. I personally like the sand as it’s a versatile nude color that goes with everything.
As you work your way down BeLenka’s sandal page, you’ll find the Grace and Summer, which both have velcro-adjustable over the toe straps. The grace now comes in gold and rose gold, so you can add a little shimmer to your wardrobe.
The Claire looks to be inspired by the Birkenstock Taormina, though obviously without the overly stiff and supportive cork footbed. See the list here for more barefoot sandals inspired by Birkenstock designs.
The soles for all of BeLenka’s barefoot sandals are 4mm. They’re thin, but firm enough that the front doesn’t catch. The footbed has a thin layer of leather.
Fit and Sizing: BeLenka’s womens sandals fit narrow to medium width feet best. Due to the adjustable straps, they tend to fit a wide range of volume. I wear an EU37 in all of my BeLenka sandals based on my 23.3cm foot measurement. For comparison, I wear an EU38 in their sneakers and an EU39 in most of their boots.
I measured the soles, and they line up to the size chart with a length of 24.4cm. It’s long enough that I don’t have any overhang on the heel or toes, and not too long that I’ve had issues with the front catching.
2 Feelgrounds Seaside Sandals
Price: From $89 | Sizes: EU36 to EU43
Stack height: 7mm sole | Materials: All vegan options including cotton and faux leather
Best For: Medium to extra wide, low to average volume
What I love:
- Fits wide and extra wide feet
- Unisex, versatile design
- Vegan option
What I don’t:
- Basic design
This unisex Feelgrounds Seaside barefoot sandal is versatile in both its style and fit. It has one of the widest toe areas, and the t-strap design means there is no chance of it squishing any toes together. They’re a little more elevated than a hiking sandal, and I’ve often packed them for trips where I’ll be walking all day. I find the cork bed really comfortable.
All of the strap options are vegan; choose from cotton, faux PU leather or bamboo leather.
Fit and sizing: These can fit medium to extra wide feet. They also fit low to medium volume feet best; the t-strap is not adjustable, so there isn’t as much variation in the fit for this one.
3 Vivobarefoot Opanka Sandals
Price: From $150 | Code: KELLY10 for 10% off | Sizes: EU35 to EU43
Stack Height: 6 mm | Materials: Leathe
Best For: narrow to medium feet, low to medium volume
Discount Code: KELLY10
What I love:
- Unique design and style
- High quality materials
What I don’t:
- No adjustability
The Vivobarefoot Opanka sandals feature a beautiful strap design that are perfect if they fit your feet like a glove. But if they don’t, you’re a bit out of luck as they don’t have a lot of adjustability. The back strap does have built in elastic so you can easily slip them on.
The quality is great. Even after a few years, the leather straps and footbed on my pair still look new. These sandals come in black, brown and white.
The rubber sole is 4mm, topped with a 2mm leather footbed.
Fit & Sizing: These fit medium width feet with medium to slightly higher volume best. I’m wearing them in an EU38, which is the same size that I have for my Vivobarefoot sneakers. However, I do have a little extra room at both the back and front. I may have been able to size down to an EU37 without any issues, but am happy with this size.
4 SoftStar Camino Sandals
Price: $130 | Sizes: Women’s US 5.5 – Men’s US14
Stack height: 11 mm | Materials: Leather
Best For: medium width, low to high volume
What I love:
- High-quality thick leather straps
- Cushioned but flexible option
What I don’t:
- Would love more color options
For a barefoot sandal that prioritizes cushy comfort, look to the SoftStar Camino Sandals. These are inspired by the Birkenstock Milanos, with thick, oiled leather straps.
These have a thicker sole and more cushion than most of the other options on this list. They’re made with an 5mm Vibram outsole, a 6mm Vibram midsole, and topped with a foam and suede footbed that will mold to your foot. You’re giving up some ground feel and flexibility, but they can be a good transition option as they don’t have the stiffness and support you’d find in a Birkenstock.
The Softstar Camino sandals come in dark brown, light brown, blue and silver.
Fit & Sizing: SoftStar has a unique sizing chart, so it won’t line up to other brands. I’m wearing a 6U in these Camino sandals and they’re just long enough. Because of the foam topper, the footbed isn’t totally flat, so you don’t have quite as much length as what you measure on the outsole. In SoftStar’s size guide, it recommends size 6U for feet with length 23 to 23.9. I wouldn’t recommend much longer than my foot length (of 23.3cm) as your feet will start to overhang the bump of the foam. Therefore, I’d generally say look at the lower half of the range for size recommendations; if you’re on the upper half, I’d go up to the next size.
All straps have buckles and are fully adjustable, so these minimalist sandals fit most foot volume. These fit medium to wide feet best.
Check out this list for more barefoot sandals like Birkenstocks.
5 Earth Runners
Price: From $68 | Code: KELLY10 for 10% off | Sizes: US Women’s 6 – 16
Stack height: 7.5 to 10.5 mm | Materials: Textile
Best For: medium width, low to high volume
Discount Code: KELLY10
What I love:
- Versatile sandals for both casual wear and hiking
- Several different sole thickness options
What I don’t:
- Performance laces can be uncomfortable
You’ll find Earth Runners at the top of my list of the best barefoot hiking sandals, but they’re cute enough that I don’t think their functionality should be held against them. If I was only going to buy one barefoot sandal, it’d be this one. I often take them traveling as they’re excellent walking and hiking sandals, but still look nice enough to be paired with a summer dress.
Earth Runners has a few different sole thicknesses to choose from. For the most ground feel, opt for the 7.5mm Primal Sandals. I like the mid-option—the Circadian Sandals. These have a 9mm Vibram sole and a canvas footbed. If you have sensitive soles, you may not like the texture of the footbed (I personally like it).
For laces, choose between the lifestyle laces and the performance laces. The Performance laces are thicker and wirier, and I found them too thick and uncomfortable between my toes. I’ve used the thinner and softer Lifestyle laces for several years, and they’ve held up to a ton of use from hiking.
Earth Runners are grounding sandals, which means they have an earthing plug on the bottom of the sandal and conductive thread throughout the textile lace.
There are several other sandal brands that use a very similar huarache design that double well as both hiking and casual sandals. One of my favorites is ZuZu Sandals — check out a full review here.
Fit & Sizing: Fit medium to wide feet. With the fully adjustable lace, these sandals fit a large range of volume. I wear a Women’s 7/EU37 with a 24.2cm sole length.
6 Shapen Sandals
6 Shapen Sandals
Price: From $99 | Code: BFSHOEGUIDE5 | Sizes EU35 – 44
Stack height: 6 mm | Materials: Leather
Best For: narrow to wide width, volume depends on style
Code: BFSHOEGUIDE5
What I love:
- Dressier styles
- Regular and Wide width options
What I don’t:
- Sizing can be confusing as it varies between styles
- Sole on open toe sandals can be flimsy and catch
After talking about Earth Runners, we’re hopping to the other side of the spectrum to dressy barefoot sandals from Shapen. The Calla Sandal is my favorite stylish barefoot sandal to pair with dresses and skirt. Shapen has several similar styles, like the Daisy and Jasmine.
While I love the flexibility of these sandals, the downside is that they front can sometimes catch on the pavement when walking. I’ve done this a few times, and it’s scraped away at the leather lining on the footbed. Therefore, I tend to wear this style when I’ll mostly be indoors.
To add a bit more style and flair to your sandals, Shapen has a line of clip-on bows, decorations and buckles.
Shapen also has many popular closed-toe sandals, like the Poppy and the Orchid.
Check out this post for more dressy barefoot sandals.
7 Luna Sandals
Price: From $115 | Sizes US Women’s 6 – 12
Stack height: 6 mm | Materials: Leather
Best For: narrow to wide width, low to high volume
What I love:
- Simple but well made
What I don’t:
- Limited casual options
- Casual sandals do not have buckles
Luna Sandals are most well-known for their running and hiking sandals, but their lifestyle sandals with simple leather straps are a great casual option. The Luna Earth sandals are made with a leather footbed, which is soft and flexible, but still durable. They come in a slip-on option or a multi-wrap, which wraps and ties around the ankle.
Fit & Sizing: Luna Sandals fit up to wide feet and can adjust to a wide range of volumes.
8 Zeazoo Sandals
Price: From $100 | Sizes: EU 35 – 42
Stack height: mm | Materials: Leather and Suede
Best For: narrow to wide width, low to high volume
What I love:
- Larger Selection with trendier styles
- Vibram sole with good balance between cushion and flexibility
What I don’t:
- Limited selection from US retailers
Zeazoo is a Bulgarian barefoot shoe brand with a larger selection of styles and colors. Their casual sandals for women use a 6mm Vibram Superflex sole, and are often topped with a leather footbed. Many of Zeazoo’s most popular sandal styles are sold in the US through the online barefoot shoe retailer PedTerra, which offers free shipping and free returns. Otherwise, shipping is €30 when ordering directly from Zeazoo.
It’s a mix of sandals with adjustable top straps and ones without. They’ve added a few more fun styles this year, including more trendy fisherman style sandals (the Marlin). For a solid Teva dupe, check out the Olymp.
9 Nikola Sandals
Price: $75+ | Sizes: EU35 – EU46
Materials: Leather
What I love:
- Handmade with high quality materials
- Transition shoe for barefoot beginners
What I don’t:
- Cushion is very soft and springy, which can feel unsettling after wearing thinner barefoot shoes
- Would like more shoes using the widest Original FootShape
Etsy is a great place to find handmade, high-quality barefoot sandals (find a full list of barefoot sandals on Etsy here). One of my newest favorites is Nikola Sandals, which makes both men’s and women’s casual barefoot sandals. They make conventional sandals as well, so make sure you click on the barefoot tab for the zero-drop sandals. Choose between a Vibram or EVA outsole. The Vibram sole is about $20, but from my experience it’s well worth it as they’re flexible but very durable. They also have a large selection of colors for the leather straps, including metallics like gold, silver and bronze.
10 Laboo Leather
Price: $107 | EU35 – EU46
Stack height: 8mm | Materials: Leather
Best For: Narrow to wide width, low to high volume
What I love:
- Strappy but secure
- Completely adjustable straps
What I don’t:
- No buckles, must knot the leather
- In-between toe strap can feel thick
I love the look and feel of these Laboo Leather sandals available on Etsy. My main qualm is that you need to tie the straps to secure; I never feel like I can get as secure of a fit as I do with a buckle. Similar to the Luna sandals, these come in a slip-on version and one that wraps multiple times around the ankle.
I’ve been wearing the slip-on version, but they come with enough extra lace that you can wrap it once around the ankle if you choose not to cut off the excess.
The Vibram soles measure 6mm thick with a 2mm leather footbed. They’re soft and flexible while still providing just the right amount of protection.
Fit & Sizing: The straps are fully adjustable as they run underneath the footbed, so you can tighten or loosen each part. I opted for an EU38 which has a 24.6cm length, and feel like this is a good fit for my foot.
Barefoot Dupes: Barefoot Sandals like your favorite conventional brand
While there are a good number of different styles to choose from, I do find that many of the barefoot shoe brands seem to be stuck on the same wavelength, with many brands offering very similar styles. This can be good in that each brand may have a slightly different fit or features, so if you really love the style, you have several alternatives to find the best version for you. But it does also mean that we still don’t have near the breadth or depth of options that I think most of us hope for.
Taking a very popular sandal and making a barefoot version of it is common. If you’re looking for a barefoot version of your favorite sandals, check out these lists below. If there’s any I missed, please leave a comment!
- Barefoot Sandals like KEEN Sandals
- Barefoot Sandals like Tevas – coming soon!
- Barefoot Sandals like Birkenstock
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[…] All of the sandals in this post are unisex, and work well as hiking sandals for both men and women. Find a list of cute and dressy sandals for women here. […]